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X-35 All-Terrain Reconnaissance Vehicle
) *(2) Quasiorganic carbide ramming rods |crew=Pilot (plus gunner, if desired) |Complement= |consumables=Majority of vehicle is edible |othersystems= |firstuse=2546 (testing) |role= |era=First Great War |affiliation= UNSC Defense Force Various private groups }} The X-35 All-Terrain Reconnaissance Vehicle, more commonly referred to as the Überhog ATRV, is a distinguished, experimental light reconnaissance vehicle used primarily by the UNSC Defense Force. It was renowned for its versatility as well as its affordability, even when compared to the . Background Based on the largely successful , the Überhog was conceptualized and engineered by interstellar military think tank Mastiff Technologies while the production of the vehicles was the responsibility of Teppanyaki Oriental Industries; following scandals with the latter, corporate giant was unsuccessfully contracted to make a final manufacturing attempt. Service History Unanticipated Success Initially, the Überhog was designed for the sole purpose of testing experimental, revolutionary technologies and mechanical systems; early prototypes were tested by operators as early as 2546. While not the perfect solution to the need of a heavy duty all-terrain vehicle, rigorous trials inferred than the X-35 was more than capable of performing well against both Imperial and rebel forces. Accordingly, 230 vehicles, then redesignated the M35, were put into full operational usage with the Thirteenth Fleet Marine Force. While at first hesitant to use the new, unorthodox recon vehicles, Marines came to comfortably embrace the advantages granted by the Überhog. As a result, the M63A1 Überhog II was introduced in late 2552, though vehicles of the line only saw action during the Battle of Earth; unfortunately, of the 856 models present for the battle, only twenty-one survived the battle in one piece. They were refurbished and relocated to various museums and archives throughout the Human sphere. Scandal By 2555, the recovering UNSC Defense Force attempted to restore the Überhog to service, though with a few modifications to improve cost effectiveness. Only six hundred M63A2 ATRVs were produced, as opposed to the four thousand ordered, as the prime manufacturer, Teppanyaki Oriental Industries, was charged with (later confirmed) counts of embezzlement and affiliations with anti-government insurgency groups such as the Artemis Liberation Front, in addition to others. A follow-up investigation revealed that more than two thousand Überhogs of varying designs were distributed across the black market, and said vehicles have been sighted as recently as 2596. On December 18th, 2556, , the famed manufacturer of the original Warthog and the majority of its variants, was contracted by the UNSC Army to build 325 M63A2 vehicles. Although, for undisclosed reasons, production was suspended indefinitely just as the first dozen were rolled off the manufacturing. This would be the final attempt to find glory within the Überhog series. Features Armament While any weapons systems featured on most Überhogs were completely optional (save for the modified tusks), vehicles of the line were almost always seen in the field with at least some sort of basic armament mounted. As with the standard Warthog, the most common choice of weaponry is a turreted machine gun. In most cases, this was the ; other commonly seen auto-cannons included the and heavy machine guns, among others. Obviously, the X-35 mounted many other primary weapons. Statistically, the most common of these was the , which was followed up by the CL385 Multiple Explosive Launch Mechanism, a small, man-operated, torque-driven catapult designed to launch grenades and similarly sized objects. Another tested piece was the . However, issues concerning necessity as well as size limitations resulted in the MLRS being utilized in but a handful of situations. Aside from non-permanent armaments, all Überhogs came equipped with two quasiorganic carbide ramming rods, commonly referred to as "tusks" due in part to their similarity to the tusks of an actual warthog. Not only are these tusks exceptionally helpful in situations that require the towing or pulling of an object, but they also greatly increase ramming efficiency when colliding with enemy infantry. In addition to the aforementioned options, vehicles of the line often came with one or more alternative armaments. These systems, while seldom employed, often proved to be quite tactically advantageous when properly used. Some of the more common armaments include a family of hood mounted, remote-operated turrets, located on what some consider to be the vehicle's "snout." Commonly used pieces include specially mounted infantry rifles, namely assault rifles such as the , and launchers such as the were also used, though to a noticeably lesser extent. Variants :X-35/M63 Überhog ATRV — 2546-2551 — The base variant of the series. It features no ballistic weapons systems. :M63A1 Überhog II ATRV — 2555-2577 ( in service with Taradian Army through 2583 ) — The second production run. Changes included an improved suspension system as well as tweaked fuel efficiency, in addition to minor armor upgrades. :M63A2 Raging Hog ATRV — 2556-2560 — The variant that was intended to help in the restoration efforts of the UNSC after the war. A near-identical model was planned to be built by Asklon engineering. :King Hog Multirole Vehicle — 2554-26?? — One of the few known models to be distributed solely to rebels and private security corporations. It most commonly made use of low-maintenance .50 caliber guns or multiple grenade launchers. :Teppanyaki ''Überhog'' — 2550-2551 — A civilian-grade variant. It was available in three colors: military brown, sky blue, and sleek red. It grew common among colonial off-road hobbyists and later as a historical collectible. Gallery File:XtremeHog2.png|A damaged Überhog awaits assistance from UNSC field engineers. File:XtremeHog3.png|Another view of an Überhog. Note the attached fur near the windshield, used as an insulator in cold weather. Behind the Scenes *Many civilian operators choose to install customized vehicular horns because the stock horn is said to "resemble disgusting, animal-like squealing." *People commonly (and jokingly) refer to the X-35 as a biological warfare vehicle because it is said to strongly resemble live warthogs of Africa, though the latter statement has long been a subject of heated debate. *No, this will not be present in any official Infinityverse content, though alternative stories may feature it, if any are written. *Anybody is welcome to use the Überhog in their personal stories of humor. Please credit this article, if you do so. Further Reading *